Only a few hours ahead of an FA Cup match against Peterborough United, Everton have sacked manager Sean Dyche. Dyche has overseen the Toffees since January of 2023 with the team failing to finish in the top half of the table during any of that tenure. Last season, they only avoided relegation by two points but not all of that has been down to Dyche. With the Toffees, Dyche has won 26 matches, drawn 24 and lost 34 in all competitions.
Financially, things have been a mess for Everton as 777 Partners attempted to purchase the club before that fell through, leaving them in debt which impacted transfers. A defensively sound manager, there were times that Dyche sacrificed Everton’s attack to support their defense but an injury to dynamic winger Dwight McNeil didn’t help things. The Toffees did end up being sold to the Friedkin Group in December, which also has an ownership stake in Roma in Serie A. That shift is a major event that made Dyche no longer safe as manager.
“Everton Football Club can confirm that Sean Dyche has been relieved of his duties as senior men’s first team manager with immediate effect. Ian Woan, Steve Stone, Mark Howard, and Billy Mercer have also left the club,” Everton said in a statement. “The process to appoint a new manager is underway and an update will be provided in due course. Under-18s head coach Leighton Baines and club captain Seamus Coleman will take charge of first-team affairs on an interim basis.”
On a run of failing to win any of their last five matches while only scoring two goals, it was the final straw of a season that began with the Toffees losing their first five matches. Looking at the Premier League since Everton picked up their first points at the end of September, they’d be 15th in the table, which would be firmly safe and level with Manchester United on points.
Of course, that’s not how the table works and Everton are only one point from safety currently but that will make who they appoint a critical situation. If they begin shipping in goals without Dyche, there’s a strong chance that Everton could suffer their first relegation in the Premier League era. Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea are the only other teams to share that distinction showing that it has been no easy feat to accomplish.
